Following in Her Sister's Footsteps

A few years ago, three to be exact, Sonya was in a play at school called the Jungle Book.  It is something that the 2nd grade class does every year.  You might recall that she was not so happy with doing the play at first, as I told about here.  This was well before she pulled on the red wig and blew everyone away as Annie a few months ago.  That was when she was still terrified of having anything to do with performing.  Well, Lana is 2nd grade this year, and don't ask me where the hell the time has gone because I have no answers for you.  Lana had a much different approach to the Jungle Book performance.  Hers has been nothing but excitement since school started back in September.

The bad news for Lana, was that the teachers weren't sure they were going to be able to do it this year.  There were some recent changes made and they were thinking they might not have time for it.  I kept checking in with the 2nd grade teachers to see who I needed to complain to and be THAT parent, in order to make sure it DID happen this year, but not to worry they were on top of it.  When January rolled around we were told it was indeed happening.  It was at that point that Lana dug out Sonya's CD to listen to and learn the songs.  Starting in January we could hear the Jungle Book songs coming from her room.  EVERY.  SINGLE. DAY.  I was pretty certain that by the time the play rolled around our entire family could get up on stage and sing every song start to finish.  

They had "auditions" for the kids to see which parts they would be playing.  This basically meant every kid told their teacher which part they would like.  From there the teachers choose the kids who are the best behaved and do well in school to give the main parts to.  They kinda have to do it that way, because even if little Johnny is a kick ass actor he might be a total asshole to teach.   The goal of this play is not to make it a Broadway production, but rather to give the kids an opportunity to get on a stage and learn how to work together.  I think it's one of the best things they do during their elementary school years, because everyone eventually gets to participate, not just the kids that can afford after school lessons. So they give the parts to the kids who do well.  However, as long as you can keep it together during rehearsals and follow directions, everyone gets a part of some kind.  Even if it's not a main role.   

Lana had decided early on that she wanted to try out for Big Bear Baloo.  I knew she would have a shot at getting something, since she is one of the better kids.  I am very fortunate in that fact.  As crazy as my girls may drive me at home, they are amazing students both academically and behaviorally.  Their teachers can never say enough about how great they all are and I feel very fortunate in that fact.  Of course now that I've thrown that out there into the Universe, no doubt I will get a call from the school about someone doing something they weren't supposed to.  OK I will stop with the bragging about how amazing my kids are.   Even though they are.  Well, at school anyway.  Like I said, at home they turn into demon children half the time.  

So Lana had it set in her mind who she wanted to play.  Unfortunately, she did not get her first choice.  She was a little disappointed, but not crushed.  Especially when she was chosen to play the same part Sonya did just three years ago, Colonel Hathi, the main elephant.  

She continued to practice and knew the songs backward and forward.  I helped her memorize her lines and tried to give some suggestions on how to make her character sound better.  Then I contemplated for a minute maybe teaching kids acting.  That is until Lana took none of the advice I gave her.  Ah well.  

Yesterday was the big day.  When she was going to sleep on Monday night she told me she was nervous.  I told her it was totally normal and she would do great.  

Andy and I went in to help the kids with their makeup and costumes in the morning.  This was something I didn't get to do the first time, since the other two were little.   In fact, if I remember correctly, Georgia had a migraine and I had to have my neighbor come stay with her so I could see the show.  I digress.  We manage to get a good seat up front since we had been there volunteering and were able to make it in before anyone else.  

Lana stood up there and sang her little heart out to every song she had memorized over the last few months.  When her part came up she marched down to the front of the stage and leading all of her "elephants".  Then it came time for her lines.  She was doing well, but then stopped suddenly.  It got quiet for about two seconds.  I'm sure they were the longest two seconds for Lana.  Fortunately for her, her friend Lauren, who was playing Mowgli knew EVERYBODYS' lines.  She was the kid who was  mouthing along with everyone for most of the play.  I know everyone knows what I'm talking about.  Good thing for Lana!  When Lana stopped Lauren half whispered half said Lana's line and then Lana picked it up from there.  It was so damn cute and so second grade.  Everyone in the audience kind of giggled.  I was worried Lana would be distraught about it, but if she was she hid it for the rest of the play.  

Afterward when I congratulated her she told me,

"I forgot one of my lines!"

"It was fine," I reassured her.  "Lauren helped you out and you remembered the rest.  I doubt most people noticed and if they did they thought it was cute."

She seemed satisfied with that answer.  

Just like Sonya, I know she will remember doing this for the rest of her life.  She had such a great time and is sad that it is over.  I only hope that the teachers don't run into problems next year so that they can do it again.  I still have one more Colonel Hathi to go!  

With some of her elephant friends and Baloo

She kept that makeup on all day. 

Mowgli, Baloo, Colonel Hathi

Performing

A Star Is Born

Yesterday was a big day for Sonya at school.  Every year the second graders do a performance of the musical, The Jungle Book.  As with most plays, there are some major speaking parts, smaller speaking parts, and then then there is the chorus. They don't have speaking parts, but are very important to the musical because they add most of the singing.  I've mentioned before that I originally moved out to Los Angeles to act.  In fact, I've loved performing since I was a kid.  I would try to find whatever theater I could do, which was mostly school related.  Andy was also involved in theater and has always loved acting.  In fact it was his original major in college.  So you would think this post would be about "Sonya-star of the second grade play!"   Except no.  Turns out she did not get that love of the spotlight from us.


At the beginning of the school year, one day when I picked her up, she was completely distraught.  


"I don't know WHAT I'm going to do!" She said, as she climbed into the van.


"Why?" I asked concerned. "What happened?"


"Well, the second grade has to do the play The Jungle Book," she told me.


"Oh that's fun!" I said recalling that I had heard about this the year before.


"No, it's not!" She told me.  "I am only going to be an elephant or a leaf, because those parts don't say anything.  I don't want to say anything because I am NOT one for performing!!"


Huh.  I thought perhaps I should do a DNA check to make sure we had brought the right baby home from the hospital, since Andy and I were very much ones for performing.  Then again, perhaps when you have two people who like to perform it creates the opposite effect for the offspring.  Although, I'm sure this won't be true for Lana.  


"Sonya," I said calmly to her.  "Don't worry about it right now.  It's not until later on in the yea, and I'm sure if you don't want a speaking part they won't give you one."  


"Ooookkkaayyy..."


She wasn't sure whether to believe me or not, but accepted it for the time being.  Then came auditions in February.  We had been listening to the CD of all the music in the play for a month and she knew most of the songs.  Then out of nowhere she said to me,


"I think I'm going to try for the part of the big elephant."


"But doesn't that part have lines?" I asked.


"Yeah, but it's not that much." She told me.  "I just definitely, do NOT want to be the panther or the Mowgli.  And definitely not the snake!"


Those, of course, were the main parts.  The parts that, when I was her age, would have done everything in my seven year old power to get.  Not her though. Nope.  She just wanted a few lines as the big elephant, and if she didn't get that she was fine with being a chorus member.  


A few days later she came home ecstatic because the teachers had given her the part of the big elephant, or Colonel Hathi as he, now a she, was called.  


Over the next couple months she would practice her lines when I wasn't paying attention.  I kept trying to run them with her, but she never wanted to and would get embarrassed.  I finally convinced her one day to do it, telling her that it would help her memorization.  Reluctantly, she did.  It was only a few lines and she knew most of them already.  I will say I helped her make a few adjustments, which I'm sure greatly helped her performance.  Or she just still did it the way she wanted it to.  Who can tell in 2nd grade?


She would come home from school and tell me about the days they would practice at school and how she was doing.  She told me how she learned to "cheat" to the audience so she was talking to the other performers, but still performing to the audience.  She, it seemed to me, was having a great time.


Then yesterday morning was the day of the show.  Andy took the morning off so he could be there too.  It started at 10:15.  She was nervous when she left for school but excited for us to see it.  Right before she left for school a little before 9am, Georgia started complaining of feeling dizzy and climbed into her bed.  Uh-oh.  Precursor to a migraine.  SHIT!  Then came the "I'm going to frow up!"  SHIT SHIT!  


"No, you're not.  Breathe!  You're fine!" I tried.


Yeah, except she wasn't fine and threw up in her bed.  


NOOOOOOO!!!  DAMMITCRAPSHIT!


I knew this was just the beginning and she was bound to throw up again over the next few hours.  So I had to figure out what to do.  Option one: One of us stays home with her, missing the play and disappointing Sonya, not to mention ourselves.  Nope,  I had to find a better one.  Option two-we bring GG and put her in the stroller.  I would stand at the back of the auditorium and when she feels the frow up coming on, I wheel her out.  At least we'd be there, but I'm sure we wouldn't make many friends that way.  Option three-hope that my neighbor doesn't have work until the afternoon and then beg him to babysit.  Fortunately, he didn't have to leave until noon, and no begging was needed.  Victor is awesome and was more than willing to help out.  We were all able to go to the play, minus migrainy Georgia.  


I don't know why, but every time I go to any of these performances with the girls I want to cry as soon as I see them.  Yesterday was no exception.  When I saw Sonya up there on the stage with her elephant ears and makeup, I got choked up.  I kept my eyes on her almost the entire time, and when it was time for her part,  she was fantastic!  She remembered her lines, she spoke loud and she did indeed cheat out to the audience.  And she didn't just say her lines, but said them with feeling.  She performed.  It was incredible!  Okay, I may be biased, and the little girl in her class who played Bagheera, might really have a career in acting, but Sonya was definitely one of the best up there.  We were so proud of her.  The whole show was so cute.  Even Lana was entertained the entire time and didn't ask once, "Is it almost over?"  


After the play was over, she came bounding down the stage steps to find us.  She was grinning from ear to ear and was pumped on some serious adrenaline.  I know well what that feels like.  It's one of the reasons I loved performing so much.  


"Great job, Sonya!  We loved it!  You did great!" Andy and I told her.


"Did you have fun?" Andy asked.


 "Yeah!  It was great!" She was beaming. 


 She was getting well wishes from all the parents around her.  She had done well and loved every minute of it.  Perhaps she WAS one for performing after all.  The good new is, at least we don't have to go to far if she does decide she wants to do more.  

Sonya as Colonel Hathi in the middle in front of the microphone.

Elephant Sonya and her best friend Gwen as a leaf.  Those are Sonya's flowers FYI.  Not sure how Gwen got the picture with them.